Writing for God

I know I haven't ever done this before, but I thought it might be high-time to publish some of my writing on my blog. I don't write a lot and I don't see myself as an exceptionally gifted writer. But, when I get an insperation, I like to write it down. So, here's something I wrote about a year ago when I was on a mission trip in Puebla...



MY FAITHFUL CAPTAIN


Here I am alone in my boat. The darkness closes in around me
I've already tied my anchor to the ship and put my life in the
hands of the captain, but through the fog I cannot see what I know
is there. I feel myself being pulled along, yet though I know I shan't
lose my way, I begin to doubt that the Captain cares. "What if he's
forgotten about me?" Whispers my mind. But in my heart I know
He hasn't. When I cry out to the Captain to tell me the course I recieve
no answer, but I know He hears. The boat is thrown by waves and the
the rain threatens to sink my small craft. I hold on begging the Capitain
to bring me aboard, yet I hear no response, merely the thunder and rain.
Then a voice creeps into my heart saying. "Would it not be easier to cut
the rope and steer your own course? What has this Captain done but
bring storms apon you?" I feel a knife placed into my hand and in my
mind I reason to comply, but my heart cries out, "No! Remember when
you placed your life in the hands of the Captain? He promised He would
bring you through." Then I remember my Captain. The tender look in
His eye as He lifted the rope gently from my hands and promised never
to lead me astray. In that moment I feel a strength and I throw the
knife into the sea declaring the I shall follow my Captain. So I follow,
looking forward to when we will arrive at port, where my Captain is
waiting. He never promised it would be easy, only that He would bring
me through. With this before me I continue to look forward, sometimes
catching glimpses of light from the ship, but always looking toward the
prize and believing that my Captain cares.

Pictures of Clowns

This guy is a professional clown and he offered to give a crash course.

Here's Karen in case you can't recognize her... and that's me!!!

Here's Mavil.
Alright, everybody say awwwww!!!!! This is Madai
That's what I call a lot of make-up!!!

So What's Up

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated my blog. It's been super hectic around here what with tests and preparing for the mission teams to come and all. Well, what should I write about? So much has happened I not even sure where to start. I think I'll just do a re-cap and write posts about the more important stuff later on. Here it goes!! On you mark... Get set... Type!!!





Fathers' Day:


This fathers' day was our first here in Mexico. We were on vacation in the States last time and therefore celebrated stateside. Honestly we hadn't planned on doing much of anything this year. The only thing we had thought about was perhaps kicking back, watching a movie and eating popcorn. But, it was not to be. Mom and Dad decided it would be more fun to spend some time with our friends and share the special occasion. So, we invited the pastor and his family and four of our friends to come over, swim, eat seviche (a cocktail of raw fish. Mmmm... Actually if you get past what it sounds like it tastes really good. I'm almost addicted to it!) and hang out. Well, anyway, we stopped by the local store, bought a few liters of coca-cola and went home to do some prep work on the food before our guests arrived. When they got here, boy were we in for a supprise! Not only had the pastor and his wife come but also the co-pastor, Diego, his wife and their two children, his parents, two of his sisters, their children, nephews, and nieces, Berlinda, Chikis, Luz, Ladis and us!!!!! Needless to say, our house was very full!

All in all, Fathers' Day was a big success!





French Exams:



French is now over for the summer. I can't believe that I've already been studying for three months!! Time passes hecka fast! Exams were the last two Saturdays. We haven't gotten the results in yet, but I hope I did ok. Last Saturday, right after I got out of class, I kept thinking about all the mistakes I'd made and hoping that I hadn't failed. In fact, Saturday night I had a nightmare about that!! I dreamed that the teacher called me up to the front and told me that I would have to take the course over again because I'd missed to many points on my test. Funny huh!




More about clowns:



Just a few weeks ago we had the opportunity to take a class on face-painting for clowns. It was fun, and though I'm still not professional, I do know more than when I first entered! Karen, Mavil and I got our faces painted! I look really wierd, but it was fun! I didn't keep the paint on for very long because it was so hot and I started sweating (that is an unfortunate side effect of living in Sinaloa, you always sweat! :D). I'll post some pictures above this post so that you can get an idea of just how silly we looked.





Shopping Spree:



You know, I was thinking about that title and I think that "Shopping Spree" is not necessarily the best title. A better title might be "The day long shopping nightmare" because that was really what it was. This Saturday my Mom and I went into town to buy all of the cooking/meal supplies that we needed for the team scheduled to come this week (that's another story I'll publish later). We filled up easily five shopping carts with all the stuff we had to buy. When we got up tp the check out one of the girls bagging all the groceries asked me where I was taking all this stuff... I suppose that means we weren't the only ones who thought it was a lot! Luckily most of the stuff we needed to get could be gotten in the air-conditioned grocery store and we spent only a minimal amount of time out in the heat. Thanks to God we were able to get really good deals and ended up spending less than what we had originaly calculated. So now, all is almost ready for the arrival of the teams. And, aside from a few last minute preparations, we can pretty much relax!


Sunday Worship:

I was given the opportunity to lead worship this Sunday (in Spanish)!! I really enjoy doing it. I'm hoping that God might have called me to the music ministry. I love to sing, and when I'm at church worshiping it's almost like I'm not even the same person. I suppose the best way to describe it is that while I'm worshiping I can leave all my troubles at the foot of the cross!!!
Also, my Dad had the opportunity to preach (also in Spanish). God really blessed his words and I at least was convicted. He preached on 2 Corinthians 8 if any of you want to check it out.


Shoes:

God blessed me with a whole bunch of new shoes. Now, some of you might think that this is kind of a silly thing to post about, but when you don't really have any shoes it's a real blessing and worth noting. Also, it's nice to know that God cares, even about the small things (just to let you know I wasn't praying for new shoes. Just goes to show that God knows your needs without you saying anything :^).


BTW: Birds are now eating by themselves!!! Happy day!!!

New additions to the family Zoo

What do you get when you a put a large family with six kids who all like animals with a whole neighborhood full of kids who all know?? I'll tell you what, you get every kind of injured, sick, or just funky animal they can find!! Like, for example, a month or so ago someone brought us this funny looking duck that was really sick (there really wasn't much we could do for that one except find a nice peaceful place for it to die). Before that, we had a pelican with a broken wing and, oh, we can't forget the barn-swallow... Anyway, you get the picture. So, a few weeks ago some of the boys from Boca Del Rio brought us a baby dove (when I say baby I mean baby, it couldn't even fly yet). This wasn't such a big deal for us because we've had some experience with baby birds and knew what to do. We put him into a small wooden crate and there he lived... for two days, then we had another "gift" from the local boys; brother for Palomita (that's what I named him). Well, I knew that they couldn't stay in the little box for long. So, I made them a cage and offered to take responsablity for them. Mom said sure and so, now I have two little baby birds. Here's some pictures, enjoy!!!

Faith to Perfection

James 2:10
"010: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

God has asked from us perfection and nothing less. At times this burden may seem to much for us to bear, but that's just it... We don't have to bear it by ourselves!!! We can now look to God...

Galatians 5:1-6
"001: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
002: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
003: For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
004: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
005: For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
006: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."

Just because we are now free does not mean we should continue to sin...

Romans 6
"001: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
002: God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
003: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
004: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
005: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
006: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
007: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
008: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
009: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
010: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
011: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
012: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
013: Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
014: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
015: What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
016: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
017: But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
018: Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
019: I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
020: For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
021: What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
022: But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
023: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

As you can tell this passage is devoted entirely to telling us that now that we are in Christ we MUST change. We cannot serve two masters. This does not mean that when we accept Christ we will immidiately become perfect. It just means that if we put our FAITH in Him and trust in Him for strength, He'll bring us through. So, next time that you feel like you just can't make it another day or that you can't seem to do it right, remember that it's not just up to you. Change your desires and God will do the rest!!

Philipians 1:6
"For I am confident in this very thing; that He who began in you a good work will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Photo Shoot!!

These are pictures that me friends and I took. This is what happens when you don't have the money to get your photos taken proffessionaly, you do it yourself. Besides, I always like the one's I take better!

So, to all of my friends, instead of sending you photos by mail I'm doing it via blog. Much easier and a lot less work. Not to metion the fact that I'm in Mexico and you're in the States!

The gift of every day

This was one of those little things that, even though they aren't all that big or important, stay with you the longest and bring a smile to your face when you think about them. The other day my little sister asked me to help her in her playhouse. She told me what she wanted to make and I went around hunting for stuff to use. First, she wanted a well. No problem, 5 gallon bucket sunk into the ground with tires around it will do fine. Next, she wanted a pail to pull the water out, no biggy, a metal pail works just fine. Then, she wanted running water. That one was more difficult, but in the end I used some bricks, a coke bottle, a block of wood and a plastic tub to rig up some sort of contraption. It's precious to watch her and her friends playing in her little "house". It makes me remember when I was that age. Back when I didn't care what people thought and was content to pass everyday pretending that I was Rapunzel locked in her tower, or a warrior maiden fighting off the evil dragons. I suppose that one can never go back and one can't live in the past. The only choice then, is to live everyday to our utmost and praise God!!


(This has always been one of my favorite verses)
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
001: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
002: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
003: A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
004: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
005: A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
006: A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
007: A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
008: A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.